Amelia moved closer to him as they walked back along the road to the ranch. She still held his hand and he squeezed it.

"I remember when we first met Amelia," he said, "I was putting some money in my account at the bank and…"

"I asked you what you did for a living and you told me you thought about opening up a store of your own."

"I did think about it," he said, "but I was about as good at that as I was at ranching…not so good at all."

"You're a very good marshal Ethan…You always were…I just was too afraid of it and what it might do to you to tell you back then…"

"I'm always real careful Amelia…I have a lot to live for and a family. That's why I do it…so my family can live in safety…it's just that it didn't always work out that way."

She leaned closer to him.

"It did often enough," she said, "I gave you such a hard time."

He shook his head.

"You kept me going in so many other ways," he said, "You always listened to me when I needed to talk and you never really judged me for my past…including back when I was young."

She sobered up.

"You had such a hard childhood," she said, "it had a lot of sadness and hardship but you turned out to be such a fine man in so many ways…"

He smiled.

"We didn't always see eye to eye at first."

She chuckled.

"No we didn't…but I don't regret any of it Ethan…I always loved you no matter what…even when I left you."

"I loved you too…and I learned that part of doing that was letting you go…though it was the hardest thing I ever did."

She looked up and they saw the ranch house ahead.

"I knew I wanted to come back in about a month…"

"John Taylor told me you'd be back," Ethan said, "something about being old and wise…but I trusted him and I waited…"

They stopped and he brushed her hair off of her shoulders, looking at her. She had the most beautiful, most piercing eyes that could look at a man and go straight for his soul. They could make him go weak in the knees too with so little effort.

"I was so excited Ethan when I made the decision. I want you to know that," she said, "I couldn't wait…I was going to head back to Paradise the next day…starting with the stage."

She felt the sadness return when she remembered what had happened instead. Most of it remained a blur because they'd knocked her out at some point…but that's when he slid his arms around her and held her close to him.

"You're here now…come on let's get some dinner."

She nodded and they walked back to the main house to join the others.

Bella and Claire had done some singing with the piano that Dorothy played while Clara who had just taken up the violin tried to join in.

"So where have you two been?"

Amelia and Ethan looked at each other. Bella shook her head in amusement.

"Forget my question. It's time to eat some of that supper."

They all went to get their plates filled with food and heading towards a table. Ben and George were followed by the puppies as they took their plates outside to the tables there. Claire would keep a sharp eye on them.

"I'm thinking that some of the desserts here could win some ribbons at Founder's Day."

Amelia smiled.

"I think so…I entered my bread pudding one year and it was a…slow year."

Bella chucked.

"Maybe I'll enter my boysenberry pie…do you think I'll be allowed?"

Ethan shrugged.

"Don't see why not," he said, "It's delicious…you might even win."

"Oh Ethan, that's awfully nice of you. But we both know my talents lay elsewhere."

He smiled.

"I seem to remember that," he said "You don't miss it do you?"

She pondered that question.

"No not really…I like settling down and trying to figure out this ranching."

"You're already quite good at it," he said, "You've got people lining up to buy your yearlings already."

She smiled at that.

"It's been a lot of hard work and we lucked out by getting a lot of good stock to begin with…Amelia helped a lot with that."

"She loves horses…she grew up on a horse ranch back in Australia."

Amelia had joined Claire in the kitchen. He'd watched her go and remembered what she'd told him.

"She's been through a lot but she'll come out the other side of it," Bella said, "I just hope the men who did that to her pay for it."

"They will if I have anything to say about it."

Bella shook her head.

"You know they're in Paradise don't you?"

Ethan looked at his glass.

"She won't say it so that just leaves me guessing…but I think I do know."

"Darrin's not going to hold his own men accountable for anything," Bella said, "and he'll stop anyone else who tries to do that."

"He won't stop me."

"He's got plenty more of them Ethan…"

"It's not going to matter," he said, "Boone wants a piece of whoever killed his brother and I think we're after the same men."

"So Dylan Daggett is off everyone's list?"

Ethan sighed.

"He never should have been on it," he said, "He might have had motive later because of Clara but he had an alibi for Warrick's death and what happened with Amelia."

"It's not Dylan's style…he's ruthless and he's a killer but not in that way."

Amelia walked back to the table with some of Bella's pie to serve along with cobbler. The boys raced in to get some dessert before heading outside again. Amelia sat next to Ethan eating her piece of pie.

"This really is delicious," she said, "I think you should enter it in the contest Bella. The planning committee's meeting tomorrow and Martha said that we'd discuss the contests."

"For the children," Ethan said, "The boys are looking forward to the three legged races and tug of war."

Amelia nodded.

"Those too along with the ones for desserts and crafts."

Ethan perked up when he heard that being someone who liked to whittle wood. Amelia thought Founder's Day could prove to be a good diversion from the crises that had struck Paradise as soon as Darrin and his daughter showed up in town.